


Athelas

by tysunkete (aozu)



Category: D.Gray-man
Genre: Alternate Universe - Flower Shop, Alternate Universe - Tattoo Parlor, Awkwardness, M/M, Pining
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-10-18
Updated: 2015-10-18
Packaged: 2018-04-26 23:18:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 13,212
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5024500
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/aozu/pseuds/tysunkete
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The first time Lavi sees his florist neighbour, it became his dream to ink that body.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Athelas

**Author's Note:**

> Originally posted 29/11/2014.

 

Spring is bleeding into summer and it's been scaling twenty degrees and up in the past week. Lavi rolls up his sleeves to his elbows, exposing the tattoos inked down his arm to his wrists as he fans himself absentmindedly, walking around in the parquet floored room, eyeing the walls. They are a little chipped and yellow, but nothing paint wouldn't fix. The floor also needs to be polished and less ornate lights like the gothic chandelier hanging from the ceiling needs to be found, but it's not a bad space, especially comparing to the last seven they've seen.

"This is a little pricey, gentlemen, but I assure you won't find anywhere else with this size and in such a prime location," their property agent says, gesturing around.

It's true that the space is in a pretty sweet zone—Covent Garden—though it's in one of the quieter back lanes with barely any passing pedestrian traffic. Still, it's relatively cheap to have a postcode here with a decent square foot area.

Lavi has been viewing potential properties to set up shop; a tattoo shop, with his fellow tattoo artist Tyki Mikk. While Lavi his arms and legs inked and torso untouched, Tyki has his body etched and limbs clean. It's a funny case of how they decided to branch out and start their business together really—Tyki has been trained from a family of renowned tattoo artists, the NOAH, while Lavi learned his trade from his uncle, code name Bookman. Somehow they ended up tattooing each other upon visits to each other's tattoo parlours; both groups were pretty well-known in their expertise after all. Several repeated visits and chats along the years concluded to their ambition to leave the nest, and despite the initial grumblings from both of their families, it was finally time to make a name for themselves.

But first they had to search for a space, which was what they had been doing for the past two months.

"What do you think, Mikk?" Lavi cocks his head to the other.

Tyki hums. "Certainly better than the rest for sure. But considering we'd have to redo the inside  _and_  we wanted to get new equipment—it's going to be pretty tight on the wallet."

Certainly true. Lavi sighs. "When do we have to decide by?" he asks.

"As soon as you can make a decision," their property agent smiles. "This is a pretty hot area, so I wouldn't be surprised if it gets snatched up real quick."

"Yeah, but it's not exactly optimal for walk-in business," Tyki observes, glancing out of the front. "It's a Saturday, no? I haven't seen anyone come down this street since we came here."

"Fair point, sir," the agent nods. "But with a regular customer base, that won't be a problem. Take the florist next to this, for example."

"Florist?"

"Granted, the owner owns his shop, but he's been in business for the last four years. Pretty stable too, I'd say."

The agent lets them muse more as they slowly walk around, until he looks at his watch. "Well, I'm sorry but I have another appointment now," he says regretfully as he gestures them outside to lock up. "I'll keep looking for any new property that pops up, of course. Give me a call, or I will when I find something new."

"Thanks," Lavi nods and salutes as the other hurries off.

Tyki sighs besides him as they linger outside the door, digging into his pocket for a smoke. The bitter smell of tar fills the air and Lavi coughs, waving his hands in front of his face.

"Dude, look the other way."

The other smirks but complies, breathing out the smoke in the other direction. "So, what are your thoughts, Bookman?"

"It's Covent Garden, man," Lavi shrugs, turning around to gaze at the potential shop again. "It's  _a lot_  nicer than the rest we've seen."

"That's why it's at such an astronomical price," Tyki says. "We should be looking at places up Camden, not here."

"But I don't want to get somewhere near the old man or your weird ass family," Lavi pouts. "We're going to settle for  _years_ , Mikk. You don't want to work in dingy sleazy place, do you?"

"The change is nice, I admit," Tyki takes another smoke, gazing out onto the quiet street. "But I don't know if it's worth the cash."

"We could do less refurbishment. I mean, maybe a simple wax for the floor, a monocolour repaint—"

"—and our equipment. Expensive equipment," Tyki reminds him.

Lavi sighs. "Yeah, I know. I'm just  _saying_. Anyway, I'm gonna take a look around the area. It's bloody quiet."

"A far cry from Camden," Tyki shrugs and turns the opposite direction. "Huh. I'll check out the back."

"Don't smoke it up!" Lavi calls, grinning, and Tyki raises a hand lazily in reply as he walks off.

Lavi turns to the florist that's right next to him—he's actually deadly curious ever since his property agent mentioned it. It wasn't particularly eye catching when he first saw it, but now it's interesting to know that the owner actually  _owns_  the place; Lavi wonders what kind of florist could afford that. Maybe it's some old man living off his rich pension or something. As he steps closer to the flowers lined up outside, the fresh smell assaults his senses. It's sweet but not overly so, and he relaxes unconsciously.

The sign board says  _Infinity Flowers_ , not a particularly imaginative name. The door is open and Lavi steps in, welcoming the air conditioned air. Inside are just rows of plants, arranged according to hues of colour. He's not particularly interested in flowers, but they are probably most vibrant he's ever seen. He doesn't recognise most of the flowers—sure, he's seen daffodils, roses, tulips in his life time, but not such a big myriad.

Curiously in the middle of the shop there is a relatively large round pot that's filled with water to the brim, and impressively large lotus leaves stand tall from it. There is also a closed bud waiting to bloom, and the soft pink and whites of it…

"Don't touch that."

Lavi jolts back guilty, snapping his outreached hand back. "Sorry."

And then he sees  _him_.

Even if Lavi is fluent in a number of languages he finds that he can't actually strings words together to form a coherent thought. The first thing he notices is the skin. God the  _skin_. It is pale complexioned but not overly so, smooth and umblemished,  _flawless_. It's practically the perfect canvas with the right tone and glow, and Lavi's fingers twitch. He can imagine a million and one patterns he'd love to tattoo on that neck, or maybe on those defined arms crossed below the chest. The other features bleed in later; the dark navy eyes, the sharp structured Oriental features, the incredibly long inky dark hair, the  _physique_.

He feels his mouth run dry.

Fuck.

Fuck.

_Fucking hell._

"What are you looking for?" the other states impatiently, arms crossed.

"Huh?" Lavi blinks out of it, grappling for a grip on reality. He's in a flower shop. With an incredibly beautiful florist that he  _needs_  to ink that— "Oh, I-I…I was just…looking around."

The florist stares at him a moment longer, Lavi does not miss the judgemental gaze flicker to his tattoo covered arms and then to his pierced ears or maybe it's his red hair or one eye, before the other turns away and proceeds to walk back further into the shop.

"W-wait!" Lavi blurts before he realises what he's doing. "Um. Um. Um," he panics vaguely when he gets a pause. "I...I want a flower."

The florist thankfully pays no heed to his odd statement. "What occasion."

"Uh. Uh…uh," Lavi fumbles, mind scrambling for something plausible. "My friend just got married. So…a congratulations bouquet, maybe?"

"Budget?"

"Below twenty?"

"Any allergies?"

"Not that I know of."

It seems like a perfectly reasonable occasion because the florist turns, but this time the other strolls along the racks of flowers before stopping to take a couple out of the bunch. Lavi watches quietly, the way the long haired man moves as though he already knows what he needs. Within a few minutes the other returns to the counter where deft fingers artfully sort the flowers into place, and some white wrapping is pulled out and quickly tied into a neat bouquet. The colours that are chosen are muted, unlike what Lavi expects, but somehow the gradient of white and soft pastels makes him feel  _happy_ , in a strange way.

"Eighteen pounds."

Kind of pricey for the size, Lavi notes, but then again he isn't an expert on flowers. He digs into his pocket for his wallet and finds that he's out of notes.

"Ah, do you accept card?"

A bland point to the card reader and Lavi slots it in, not even giving a second thought to how that money could've went to his groceries for the week. As he waits for the card reader, he sneaks another look at the florist, and then to the florist's hands which are tapping impatiently on the counter. God, even his fingers were long and beautiful, and the veins on the back of the hand…

"What's your name?" he asks before he can stop himself, and then backtracks quickly. "I mean, these flowers are nice, and maybe if I want to get another one I can come again?"

The other raises an eyebrow and thumbs to the stack of cards sitting on the front of the counter.

He swipes one hastily. "Right. Thanks."

Before he can take a look at the card, however, the transaction is done and the flowers get pushed into his hands before he knows it.

"Good day," the other says without much emotion.

"T-thanks," he nods, hugging the flowers close.

Lavi wants to stay but he knows it's creepy if he does, so he gives the florist a final glance (who has already turned another way busying himself with something) and clutches the card in his hand as he walks out. The heat from outside immediately seeps back into his skin but he barely pays that any attention, eye focused on the fine print on the card.

"What's the occasion?"

"Hmmm?" Lavi looks up abruptly at the voice, facing Tyki. "Oh. Err, nothing."

Tyki eyes him calmly, cigarette loose on his lips. Lavi pauses warily when all the other does is to look at him with this judgemental expression, and isn't prepared for the sudden swipe of the name card out of his hand.

"Hey—"

"Yuu Kanda," the Portuguese reads, and then eyes the flowers that Lavi is holding and picks at the card slotted inside. "Congratulations on your wedding. Who got married?"

"Uh…a friend?"

Tyki squints. "…Did you seriously buy a bouquet of flowers because you thought the florist was hot?"

"What? I did not!" Lavi cries indignantly, holding his flowers tighter.

"Pray tell," the other smirks. "Who is this  _friend_  who got married?"

"You say it like you know all of my friends," Lavi huffs. "Which you don't!"

Tyki ignores him. "I'm vastly curious now. I'm going take a look."

Lavi hastily grabs the other's arm just before he moves further. "What? No! It'll be suspicious!"

"So it  _is_  about the florist," Tyki hums patronisingly, and Lavi scowls, a faint red creeping up his neck. "Don't worry, I won't steal your future soul mate away."

"Fuck you, Mikk," he retaliates, but Tyki just shrugs him off and skips into the flower shop. "Mikk—!"

Lavi bites his bottom lip and paces outside, careful not to walk too close to the flower shop in case he gets seen, which annoys him because he really wants to know what Tyki is doing in there and also because he wants to see the florist again.  _Yuu Kanda_. Such a pretty name, he sighs dreamily, looking down at the bouquet he's bought. Fuck, what is he going to do with these flowers now?

It agonises him long enough until Tyki exits the shop and walks back with a single white rose between his fingers, grinning much too wide. And then once a few paces closer, the Portuguese bursts out into laughter, shaking his head and generally giving Lavi one of the most pitying smirks ever.

Lavi scowls. "What?"

"You're pathetic," Tyki says instead, still grinning.

The redhead eyes the white rose instead. "You bought something too."

"He is pretty hot," Tyki shrugs, and then chuckles at the immediate sour tension he feels. "He's all yours, Bookman, don't give me that look. So, you're going to tell me that we're going to rent this place, aren't you?" he raises an eyebrow.

"I-I never said—"

Tyki merely gives him a deadpan stare. "You were going to, I can tell. You want this place only because there's a hot neighbour. Well, good taste, though his personality isn't very forthcoming."

"It's not because of him!" Lavi interjects, huffing. "The location is good, we can make this work! Sure it's not prime for walk in customers but how many people actually walk past a tattoo shop and say, 'hey, I should totally get a tattoo now' anyway?" he reasons. "We work by appointments all the time. It's pricey but it's a decent size. Think about it, Mikk, we're going to be here for at least a couple of years. It's an  _investment_."

"…Are you sure you should be crushing this hard on someone you just met?"

"Mikk!"

Tyki snorts, amused. "It's cute how transparent you are. Fine," he sighs after a while, stuffing his hand into his pocket. "I'll agree on one condition. Buy me lunch for the next two months."

"You fucking cheapo," Lavi narrows his eye.

"So?"

Maybe Tyki is on to something, because he barely even gives it a thought when he says, "Fine."

"Awesome," Tyki nods, and punches him lightly on the arm. "Come on, let's go call Mr Agent. We don't want you to miss your destiny with dream boy, hmm?"

Lavi kicks Tyki, but he does tuck the bouquet under his arm carefully as they make their way down the street.

* * *

It's nearly autumn when they open the tattoo parlour for the first time, paint shiny and décor slick.  _Butterflies' Ink_  the signboard outside reads in elegant cursive print, the smell of their laminated floor still lingering in the air. Money was tight the past few months as they made the final preparations, but if their appointments for the first couple of months pulled through, they were on to an okay start.

Lavi, for one, is glad to work in such a cool location—he's been compiling a list of eateries in the area that he's going to check out. The florist shop next door is just an added bonus. Tyki, of course, doesn't believe him one bit.

"So why haven't you gone over?" the other asks in passing while Lavi's concentrating on inking an arrow on one of his long time customer's shoulder.

"Go where?" he replies distractedly.

"Next door. Are you restraining yourself?" Tyki questions, crossing his legs, bored.

There's nothing for him to do but to watch his colleague work on Allen, a college kid who's had a few tattoos done by him and Lavi in the past, since his jobs were done for the day. It's closing in onto the typical closing hours for their neighbour at five (for them, it's much more flexible) and Lavi hasn't popped over to visit the flower shop owner even though it is their first day at their new place. The redhead has always entered the shop and emerged with some sort of bouquet in hand whenever they dropped by to finalise the renovations for their shop for the couple of times over the past few months. Tyki is suspicious.

"Better yet, have you even told him you work here?"

Lavi opens his mouth to answer, but the bleached white head underneath him shifts a little.

"Are you talking about the flower shop next door?" Allen turns his face to look at Tyki curiously. "What about it?"

"Bookman's besotted with the owner," Tyki says blithely, and Lavi is just thankful that the needle is off Allen's skin when he hears it. "He even chose this place solely because of that. Who am I to come in between such true love?"

"That is not true and you know it!" Lavi grumbles, trying to ignore the cheesy words. "Stop saying that."

"Your crush certainly is."

"Wait, the owner next door…you're…you're talking about  _Kanda_ , right?" Allen interjects slowly, and watches Tyki nod affirmative.

"Oh, you know him?"

"Unfortunately," Allen sighs terribly. "You can say I know him  _too well_."

Lavi pauses before he makes the next stroke with his needle. "Really?" he asks much too enthusiastically, but he doesn't care. "H-how do you know him?"

"Our fathers—well, foster fathers—are old friends. We kind of grew up together. When you gave me your postcode I was actually thinking it's such a small world; I bother Kanda in his shop once in a while," Allen admits, amused. "Lavi," he suddenly pauses, serious. "You like him?"

"Well, I—er…" Lavi hesitates, scratching his neck absentmindedly. "I  _might_  be interested, if that's what you mean," he mumbles, colouring a little. "I mean, if he's not interested in guys then there's no point I guess…"

"Might be?" Tyki repeats incredulously, and starts coughing straight after.

"Lavi, please don't," Allen says with the most pleading voice ever, and Lavi falters.

"Huh?"

"You can do  _a lot_  better than Kanda, I swear," Allen continues seriously. "Everyone falls for his face so I guess I can excuse you for that, but trust me, and I say this because I like you and I want the best for you—Kanda is a  _dick_. It's not worth it."

Lavi's eyebrows are raised up so high that they nearly disappear into his bandana that he wears to keep his bangs of the way. "Er—why do you say that? He's been nice to me whenever I buy flowers."

"Basic customer service isn't 'nice', Lavi," Allen informs him, blandly. "You haven't  _talked_  to him, have you?"

"Well—"

"Telling him your bouquet preferences does not count."

"Then I guess, yeah, I guess not," Lavi admits. "I didn't know what else to say!" he defends when Tyki sighs and shakes his head. "I didn't want to come on to him too strong, so I…well."

"That's a good call," Allen nods. "Kanda would've punched you. But seriously, you're a good guy, Lavi. You can do better."

"Aren't you supposed to be  _his_  friend?" Lavi asks warily.

"Sure, but it doesn't change the fact that he  _is_  a jerk," Allen replies, grinning. "Kanda isn't…he doesn't take to people well. I just don't want you to be disappointed if…you're, you know, serious about him."

"Oh. I. I see," Lavi mutters. "Well, I'm not…serious, for now I just…I just want to get to know him, that's all."

Tyki sighs. "You made him sad, Walker."

"Mikk—"

"Sorry, Lavi," Allen says, genuinely apologetic.

Lavi rubs his face. "Mikk, stop it," he scowls, pointing at the other. "And Allen, I need to finish the edge."

"Right."

The next ten minutes pass in silence as Lavi finishes off his work. Allen winces a little when he rubs ointment over the raw area and fixes the bandage with practised ease.

"You know the drill, Brit. Don't take this off for at least two hours, don't rub it when you're washing. If anything feels weird, call me."

"Thanks, as always," Allen nods, smiling. "You know," the younger starts when they're waiting for the card payment to go through. "I can introduce you to Kanda if you want."

"I thought you didn't want me to know him," Lavi blinks, ripping off the receipt that's spewed from the machine.

"I don't want you to be  _disappointed_  by him," Allen corrects. "Now that you have a more realistic view, you're welcomed to try. I'm going over, you want to come?"

"Now?" Lavi glances at the clock on the wall. "It's past five—the shop is closed, isn't it?"

"Nah, Kanda always stays an extra hour, preparing stuff for the next day. Well?"

"I…"

"Bookman, what are you waiting for?" Tyki raises an eyebrow, and Lavi huffs.

"Stop making me sound like I'm desperate!"

"Isn't that because you are?" Tyki grins.

"I'm not!" he sticks his tongue out defiantly, but he does chew his lip and scratch his cheek when Allen cocks his head. "Yeah, okay, I'll come."

A flutter builds up his stomach when they cross over the short distance to the flower shop, door closed but inside still lit up. Tyki isn't  _too_  far off (but he's not desperate!) really, because he did want to go over during the day, except he didn't know what he was going to say to the florist except maybe buying yet another bouquet of flowers that he's running out of jars to keep at home. Allen ignores the closed sign hung at the front and pushes his way in like he's very familiar with the shop. Lavi follows behind, feeling a little out of place.

"Kanda!" Allen sings, and the florist who is busy sorting some things at the counter looks up and scowls the darkest scowl Lavi has ever seen.

"Brat," the florist says. "What the fuck are you doing here?"

Lavi blinks inwardly at the incredibly harsh tone—he guesses  _this_  is what Allen means, but well, he swears too, so.

"Just dropping by for a visit, darling," Allen grins. "I see that you're not bankrupt yet."

"As if I'll ever be, beansprout," Kanda snorts, returning back to sorting his things. "Don't you have some classes to fail or something?"

"Worried for my education?"

"Don't make me laugh."

"If only you were capable of doing so."

Kanda rolls his eyes. "Seriously, why the hell are you here?"

"I was getting my tattoo done," Allen answers, leaning his elbows on the counter as he watches Kanda do his things. "I told you the place moved, right? It's right next to you. Speaking of which, this is Lavi," Allen introduces, beckoning Lavi forward. "He's the one who's been doing mine for the last four."

Kanda passes Lavi a quick glance before it returns to his work, seemingly disinterested.

"You should consider him if you want another," Allen continues.

"No need, bean."

"Another?" Lavi echoes, unsure if he's following this right. "You have a tattoo?" he asks, surprised.

"Sure, Kanda has one here," Allen pats the right side of his chest.

"Can I see?"

The question blurts out even before Lavi realises that it's too soon to ask something like that. The florist pauses and aims a direct look at him.

"No. What are you doing here?"

Allen narrows his eyes at the florist. "Kanda, don't be a dick."

"The store isn't open, dumbass. Why did you bring him in?"

"I brought him in to meet you," Allen says a sigh in his tone. "He's your neighbour starting from today. You should get to know him."

"What for?"

Before Allen is tempted to bang his head on the counter at the sheer stupidity or rudeness, he can't tell, Lavi interjects.

"Actually—" he coughs, catching their attention. "Um. Yeah, I'm your new neighbour from today. I'm a tattoo artist if you ever want another because I'd  _love_  to uh, nevermind—but you knew that, because Allen just said so," he winces internally. "Anyway. I don't know if you remember me but I've bought some flowers from you before…um, that's not what I…um," he fumbles awkwardly as his mouth runs further. He's vaguely aware that Allen is coughing and decidedly looking away. "I-I…since my place is new I thought I could get a bouquet, maybe, to uh, brighten the place up?"

The florist eyes him. "How much?"

"Huh?"

"How much do you want to pay?"

"Less than twenty?"

"Colour scheme?"

"Well, it's…it's black and wood, mostly."

"Collect it tomorrow," the florist says shortly, and Lavi blinks.

"Oh. Okay."

There's a silent pause until Lavi hesitates. "…Do I pay you now or…?"

"Tomorrow."

"Okay."

It slips into another awkward silence, and this time Allen intercepts. "I have to go home and prepare dinner. I'll see you soon, Kanda."

"Don't come back."

"I know you love me," Allen grins and saunters out with a back wave.

Lavi takes the cue to follow, glancing towards the florist who doesn't seem the least bit interested to bid them any pleasantries. But wow, the other has a  _tattoo_  too. He wonders what it is. An inscription of words? A quote, a name? Or maybe a symbol? Or the mixed collage that he has? He's still musing when Allen pats his arm outside his own tattoo shop.

"I told you," Allen says, but one look at the redhead and he sighs. "And…you're still interested him. You have terrible taste," he grins, shaking his head.

"I-I'm not! I just—…" Lavi sighs heavily, rubbing the side of his neck. "Okay, maybe I am, but it's not—it's nothing major, okay? I'm just wondering about the kind of tattoo he has."

"It's something personal," Allen says, and Lavi frowns.

"You just said that because it's even more annoying that I want to know more now."

Allen laughs, but he does not deny it. "I'll see you, Lavi. Good luck."

* * *

He's supposed to be churning a profit to make sure he can cover shop rent and to replace the hole in his bank account, but it's been swallowed into the florist shop next door and Lavi presses his head to his desk, whining. He's been paying Tyki's lunches too; it's not a nice feeling being strapped for cash but he still can't help but buy flowers that he doesn't know what to with. For now they clutter on the dining table at home and some are scattered in the shop.

Now that he knows that Kanda stays in his store after five, he sometimes enters on the pretense that he's buying flowers to decorate the shop or for somebody he knows. The florist doesn't serve him at the hour but his orders are always noted, and he slips in some questions in the bid to get some conversation going. He knows his conversational skills aren't  _bad_  but Kanda doesn't seem to open up very much—the answers he gets are always curt and never an invitation to ask more.

" _So…why flowers?" he asks one time, and gets a raise of the eyebrow._

" _Why do you want to know?"_

" _I'm just wondering."_

_The florist merely answers bluntly. "Because I want to."_

And another.

" _I heard you own this place."_

" _Yes."_

" _How did you afford it? I mean, this area is really fancy—"_

" _It was a gift."_

" _From who?"_

" _None of your business."_

Or,

" _Where do your flowers come from?"_

" _Supplier."_

" _Oh."_

Today Lavi sighs as he inks out a brief sketch of the sunflower that came with the bouquet he bought earlier in the week that's at the corner of his work desk. They are good for practice, he allows, but he's going nowhere with whatever he's doing, and the thing is, he doesn't really know  _what_ he's doing either.

The florist—Kanda, he's, well, he's unbelievably attractive, that's for sure—the milky skin, the gorgeous eyes, the god-like fitting form, Lavi can just imagine how beautiful it'd be to ink on that, maybe somewhere behind the neck, or even down the spine,  _fuck_ , that's—that's…he swallows. He's getting off track.

"Hey, stop moping and grab me the alcohol would you?" Tyki calls from the work chair, and Lavi acquiesces with a huff.

Tyki's customer for the day, Tokusa, a lanky make with seven piercings on his left ear, cocks his head interestedly.

"Lady problems?" he asks, and then hisses softly when Tyki swipes the new tattoo (joining his other six) with the clear liquid.

"Close enough," Tyki answers, humming as he sticks on the bandage. "Our neighbour's a real beauty—he's been crushing for that for  _months_."

"Seriously? Woah, I gotta pop over and see later."

"W-what the—" Lavi splutters. "Why are you telling everyone that?" he demands.

"What, are you jealous?"

"No, I—"

"Pity," Tyki sighs, turning on the swivel chair to stare at him. "I was hoping you would be."

Lavi pauses. "Why?"

"Because you're doing absolutely  _nothing_ —except to buy flowers—and it's boring," the other answers. "What are you waiting for? Ask him out already."

When Lavi turns away and refuses to respond, Tyki shakes his head.

"You can't seriously tell me you don't want to ask him out."

"It's not that," the redhead says quietly, decidedly looking away. "I just don't think he'll agree."

"…What have you been doing all the times you went over?"

"I am  _trying_ , okay?" Lavi defends indignantly, ignoring the roll of Tyki's eyes. "He's just not…very interested."

"Then  _make_  him interested."

"It's not that easy."

Tyki narrows his eyes and grins. "Oh yeah?"

* * *

"Hey," Lavi finds himself blurting on Friday evening. "Do you want to go eat soba?"

Kanda pauses in mid-action at the counter when the redhead bursts through his shop door.

"Allen was talking about it and I've never tried it so I got curious and he said you're the expert and you know a place in town, which is awesome because I tried googling and I found nothing so maybe we can go?" the other rushes out in what seemed to be one breath, and Kanda stares. "Uh, I'll pay for you!"

"You can go by yourself," Kanda says finally, and turns his attention back to his task on hand. "What else do you want?"

Lavi clenches his fists vaguely and shuffles his feet. "I mean it, I'll pay for you," he tries again. "I don't know what to order if I go alone and I really want to try it, so please?"

Kanda looks back at him and Lavi sees the oncoming of a sigh and he clasps his hands together. "I'll even—"

But before he can complete his sentence, the florist, purses his lips.

"—fine," the other mutters. "I need thirty minutes to lock up."

Lavi stares, stunned for a couple of seconds before he forces himself to move. "Oh. Uh, definitely, I, uh, I'll wait for you outside!"

He nearly trips over his own feet in his haste to get out of the shop and crashes into Tyki who is lingering outside.

"Ten quid," Tyki says, grinning with an outstretched hand.

"I'm still buying your lunch, give me a break," Lavi scowls.

"A free tattoo, then."

"My tattoos are worth more than  _ten quid_!"

"Ten quid now or a tattoo in the future," Tyki shrugs. "Either way you owe me something for your date."

"I hate you, Mikk."

"You'll thank me when you have him in your bed tonight," Tyki snorts, patting Lavi on the shoulder.

"I—"

"Bye," the other smirks, deliberately sauntering away leaving Lavi to pace agitatedly outside the flower shop.

It's a date. A  _date_. Kind of. He just lied his way—okay, he hasn't tried soba before (not a lie) and he doesn't like eating alone (also not a lie!) and it just so happens that Kanda apparently likes soba and can be convinced to dinner with it. Heat is rising to his neck the more he realises his situation and he paces around even more. For once he's not a customer but perhaps a…friend? Dinner partner? They are going to spend at least an hour together, fuck, what is he going to talk about? Lavi chews on the bottom of his lip and walks around even more, lost in his thoughts and doesn't realise that Kanda at some point has exited his store and is already standing outside watching him with an incredulous expression.

Lavi sheepishly stops still in his tracks. "Uh, let's go?"

Kanda turns heel first and walks without waiting for him to catch up, and Lavi hurries after him.

"So, how was your day?"

"Normal."

"Any interesting new customers?"

"No."

"Any interesting old customers?"

"No."

"Can you say something else other than 'no'?"

"No—" Kanda glances over with a glare. "What do you want?"

Lavi shrugs, swallowing loosely. "I just wanted to know how your day went."

"By asking stupid questions?"

"Those were legitimate questions!"

"Bullshit small talk," Kanda snorts. "I woke up. I got to work. I ended work. Now we're going to eat. What else?"

"…You're so cynical," Lavi observes, smiling a little. "I'm sure there were things at work that were interesting to you. You said you were a florist because you wanted to be one."

"So?"

"So what about it do you like? Caring for the plants? Flower arrangement?"

Lavi waits patiently for an answer as they walk on, and eventually Kanda speaks.

"…The colours."

"What about the colours?" he asks carefully.

"They blend," the other answers shortly. "And they mean something. It's…it's calming," he says, steadfastly looking forward, and doesn't notice that he accidentally steps onto a busy road.

Lavi catches him by the arm, alarmed. "Yuu! Be careful."

Kanda freezes. "What the hell did you call me?"

"Yuu." Lavi blinks, looking up. "That's your name, right?"

"It's Kanda."

"But…" the redhead frowns, confused. "You're Japanese. So 'Kanda' is your surname, isn't it?"

"It's  _Kanda_ ," the other snaps. "Stupid rabbit."

"…Rabbit?" Lavi pauses, and then he notices Kanda looking at his left arm, where his tattoo of the Hokusai wave made out of rabbits is. "Huh."

Before he can say anything more, the florist edges away, walking forward quickly. "Tch, Let's move."

The cool air settles between them as Kanda leads the way with his pace faster than before. Lavi hurries to catch up but he stays a step behind, secretly watching the side of Kanda's profile. It's so easy to get lost in the way the florist holds himself, posture confident and poised, long hair whipping behind him. He's too lost in his staring that he bumps into Kanda when the other stops suddenly. Glancing around Lavi realises that they've reached one of the lanes of Soho, standing in front of a restaurant. Kanda pushes past the cloth with a kanji printed on it at the entrance, and is greeted by a server.

"Oh, Kanda-san!" the waitress says, eyes lighting up. "You brought someone," she blinks, obviously surprised, but it's quickly covered when Kanda scowls. "Would you like the counter or a table?"

"Counter," Kanda replies.

Lavi shuffles awkward behind as they get led to the corner of the counter, and thanks the waitress when she smiles warmly at him and hands him the menu. "What would you like to have, sir?"

"Uh…" Lavi glances down at the simple printed sheet. "What are you having, Yuu?"

"Don't use my first name," Kanda mutters, leaning forward with his elbows on the counter, bored. "I'm getting the usual."

"What's the usual?"

"Zaru soba with tempura," the waitress informs him helpfully when Kanda just stares straight ahead. "And hot green tea."

Lavi frowns. "What's zaru soba?"

"It's cold soba," she explains. "Alternatively, you might want to get hot soba, which is soup based."

"I'll take what he gets," Lavi decides finally. "If it's his usual, it's got to be good, right?"

That's what Lavi truly believed, but when the dish gets served, he hesitates at the green noodles sitting in a pretty swirl on top of a rack of bamboo. Kanda snaps his chopsticks and mutters something too low for him to hear before the other digs in—a gentle dip to a small bowl of dark sauce that's provided at the side, and it's gone into the other's mouth.

He doesn't realise he's just watching Kanda until Kanda gives him a weird side look, and he hastily turns back to his meal. Well. There's no harm to it, Lavi supposes, and dips the noodles into the sauce like he's seen the other do. The first bite is weird; the noodles are  _cold_  and Lavi doesn't expect that despite that it is  _cold soba_ , but when he chews it down, a sweet tang of just a hint of subtle flavour bursts forth pleasantly.

Lavi's eyebrows shoot up as he takes another bite, chews, and swallows.

"This is actually…really good," he says, and doesn't miss the snort that Kanda gives. "I can see why this is your favourite food."

Because it's so understated and subtle yet incredibly intense at the same time—it reminds him of Kanda, through and through. They eat in silence and Lavi racks his brain to think of another conversation starter, occasionally stealing side glances to his dinner partner. He vaguely wonders if Kanda got counter seats for them just so that they won't have to look at each other awkwardly in the silence, and is slightly thankful for the fact.

"So, um, what's your favourite flower?" is what he ends up asking.

"Such an original question," Kanda snorts.

"You get that a lot, huh," Lavi notes, pausing in mid chew. "I bet it's the lotus."

Kanda abruptly turns to glance at him suspiciously, which makes him grin.

"It's not that difficult to guess, you know," he smiles after swallowing. "It's the only flower you don't sell in the shop."

"No one sells lotuses at a florist," Kanda retorts.

"Exactly," Lavi nods. "And you still have one in the store. Lotuses aren't native here, yeah? I don't even know how your plant grows in this London weather. Obviously you care a lot about it, it's so big and pretty."

"It's rebirth."

Lavi cocks his head, curious at the interjection.

"The lotus," Kanda clarifies. "It's not 'big and pretty'," he repeats, scowling.

"Well, it is, to me," Lavi shrugs. "Rebirth. Flower symbolism, huh. Like how roses mean love?"

"Is that the only one you know?"

"Hey, I'm not a florist."

"So?"

"Isn't part of the job description?" Lavi replies, confused. "I'm sure people ask you all the time what kind of flowers to get for an occasion right? I mean, you make the bouquets for me. I wouldn't even know what flowers to choose—you have so many."

"That's because people like you don't actually care what you're giving it for," Kanda states. "If you mean it, you'll bother to find out."

"…I guess," Lavi concedes. "But I definitely can't put them together so nicely like you do."

" _That_ ," Kanda nods. "Is my job."

* * *

If he were to give Kanda flowers, Lavi muses, what kind of flowers would he give?

Amaryllis, for the other's splendid beauty? Ranunculus, orchids? Or maybe to express his admiration with heather? Lilacs might be nice, but he isn't really ready to declare anything too forward as of yet; that goes the same with tulips or lavender roses. Red roses were a dream, as were forget me nots. It's too soon, far too soon.

It's not the first time he's wondered about this, but he never does it—mainly because he thinks buying flowers off Kanda to give it back to the florist is just weird, and buying flowers somewhere else is just weirder. Like, what if Kanda takes offence that his flowers aren't good enough, which isn't the case at all?

Lavi pokes absentmindedly at the lilies he bought two days ago, sitting fresh in a jar on his work desk. It's a good thing that his appointments were done by the morning—he doesn't think he can concentrate enough, not when he's still thinking about last week, about the time they spent in the soba restaurant. There wasn't anything particularly exciting that happened that night but his heart still thumps faster when he daydreams about it. He wants to do it again, he's known more about the florist than he has for the past few months, but he needs another excuse.

When Tyki is done with his client, he walks over and eyes the slumped body and face pressed on the table.

"You haven't gone over today," he observes, leaning to peer at the flower sketches Lavi's has drawn. "Hmm the references really help, don't they…"

"The shop is closed," Lavi replies, idly poking the lilies' petals again.

"Oh, why?"

"I don't know."

Lavi absentmindedly stares at the lilies again, and only jolts back to reality when Tyki hums, tapping some fast fingers on his phone. "Interesting. He's sick."

"How do you know that?" Lavi sits up immediately, eye wide. "Is he okay? Did he catch a cold? Or a fever?"

Tyki glances ever so slightly at him with a raised eyebrow. "You have resources at your disposal, you should learn to use them." When he gets a confused silence in return, he rolls his eyes. "Call him."

"I…only have his store number."

Tyki shoots him an incredulous look. "What have you been-…nevermind," he sighs. "Call Walker then. I'm not that interested in finding out the details."

Lavi edges his phone out when Tyki saunters away, shaking his head and muttering something that sounds like  _hopeless_  under his breath.

"Lavi," Allen greets when he dials the younger, with the other sounding not very surprised. "Are you calling about Kanda?"

"Y-yeah…" he admits slowly, rubbing his neck in a nervous gesture. "Is Yuu okay?" There is a very lengthy pause after that, such that Lavi darts his eye around, worried. "Allen? You there?"

"Yeah…" Allen replies, sounding slightly off, before the other coughs. "Sorry, I was just a bit thrown off when you used Kanda's first name. Anyway," he continues with more cheer. "Yes, the jerk is fine. I only knew he was sick because I called him when Tyki asked just now. Kanda didn't want to tell me what he's with, except he said his head hurts, so I'm guessing it's just a fever."

"Oh."

"But he's terrible when he's sick—he never eats anything, not even medicine," Allen sighs. "I'm still in the middle of lectures today so I can't go over, but—"

"I can—" Lavi blurts before he realises what he's saying. "I can do it…if that's okay."

"Are you sure? Kanda won't be in the best mood, not that the jerk ever is—"

"It's okay," Lavi says quickly. "Should I bring some soup?"

"Yeah, but it has to be clear soup, no cream. You can try giving him pills but I'd doubt he'll take them. I'll text you his address. Sorry for the trouble, Lavi."

"No, it's totally fine."

"Oh, and um, don't take it too hard if he doesn't want to let you inside his house."

Lavi clutches his phone. "Oh, no,  _no_ , I just, I just want to see if he's okay."

"Okay. Text me if you need anything else."

"Sure. Thanks Allen."

Lavi bites his lip briefly when he ends the call. "Mikk," he calls, and Tyki swivels his chair around to face him. "I'm going to pop out for a while, could you hold down the fort for a bit?"

"You're not planning to come back, are you?"

"I am!" Lavi defends. "I just need an hour or so—"

"You're not even going to  _try_  to take care of him?" Tyki asks, and Lavi pauses.

"W-what?"

"Don't come back, Bookman," Tyki shakes his head, swivelling his chair around. "If someone walks in, I'm taking the commission."

Lavi scowls. "I still hate you."

"Yeah, yeah. Just go already."

* * *

It's probably a good thing that he doesn't have a one hour limit for this trip, because he spends at least thirty minutes in  _Boots_  deciding what kind of medicine he should buy before settling on a generic Panadol box. The next thirty are for him to go back to the soba place again; this time, he buys a hot soba takeaway. Eventually he finds himself in front of Kanda's flat, and apartment in Holborn, staring at the door. Either the florist shop is making  _really_  good money for the other to stay at such a highly priced neighbourhood, or that the other comes from a  _really_  rich family. Lavi doesn't actually know which one is more likely.

He paces a bit and triple checks the address before he finally presses the doorbell to the apartment. No one responds after five minutes and he tries again. After his third press he's counting down another minute before he gives up—that's when the door opens abruptly. Lavi nearly drops the hot soba when he sees the florist leaning against the door frame with his long inky hair let loose behind him.

"Why are you here?" Kanda mutters, voice slightly hoarse and expression bleary.

The florist's complexion is also much paler than usual, but other thing that Lavi immediately notices is the black lines that stretch from the other's left shoulder down towards his chest, disappearing behind the sleeveless tee that the other is wearing.

"Allen told me you were sick," Lavi begins.

"So?"

"So I brought some food. And medicine."

Kanda stares at him a moment longer before dropping his hand on his door in a move to close back his door. "I don't need it."

"It's nice to have—wait!" Lavi calls, catching the door before it closes. "It's soba. You haven't eaten anything, right?"

"I don't want it," Kanda repeats, eyes closing shortly while his fingers skid down the edge of the door.

Lavi steps forward in concern, but something soft rubs against his ankles and he jumps. A black cat mewls and rubs its head against his legs again.

He smiles, surprised. "Hey there little fella."

"Tch," Kanda clucks his tongue, irritated.

Using his left foot he scoops the cat back into the apartment, kicking it gently behind him.

"What's its name?" Lavi asks, curious.

"Doesn't have one."

"…You serious?"

"Yes."

Lavi looks at the other oddly, but it quickly turns into worry again when Kanda grips the door tightly and squeezes his eyes shut again.

"You don't look okay," Lavi reaches out to steady him, but Kanda waves his hand away.

"I'm fine."

"You should sit," Lavi says.

"And whose fault is that?"

"Sorry," he answers quietly. "I was worried. Here," he offers the plastic bags he has, but Kanda scoffs.

"Stupid rabbit. I don't want it."

But even as he says this, Kanda stumbles a bit at the intended turn away, and Lavi rushes to hold him in concern.

"You should…you should get some rest," the redhead says, propping him up gently. "Uh…" he casts a quick glance inside as the door creaks open wide and spots some chairs around the table further in. "Sit there."

"I can walk," Kanda scowls, prying the grip off him.

But the florist walks back into his house and Lavi is half in—he glances back and forth between the open door and the other and decides to close the door behind him. Hastily he kicks off his shoes before settling the bags he's brought to the table where Kanda has dragged himself to sit, rubbing his temples with his eyes closed. The black cat circles around his feet as he takes off his coat and takes out the soup and medicine that he's brought. He glances at the open notebook and pen on the table—it's a log book, he realises, of Kanda's bouquet orders. The florist was  _working_? In this state?

"Are you sure you're okay, Yuu?"

"I said don't call me that," Kanda mutters, not bothering to open his eyes as he massages his temples harder.

Lavi glances over at him. "If you call me 'rabbit', I'll call you by your first name."

"Tch."

Lavi moves the hot soup towards Kanda. "Have some."

"I don't want it," Kanda repeats, this time glaring. "I'm not hungry."

"Still, you have to get something down," the redhead presses. "Just drink a sip," he shuffles over and gently presses his hand against the other's forehead before the other can react. "Shit, you're hot."

And then his eye widens. "I-I mean, you  _feel_  hot. Burning," he manages, trying to cancel whatever blush is threatening to rise up his neck. "How high is your fever?"

"Don't know," Kanda answers tiredly.

"Do you have a thermometer?"

"No."

Lavi presses his lips together. "Do you have a clean towel? Or cloth?"

He takes this time to look around the apartment—it's clean, no lying clothes around (unlike his). It's a one bedroom apartment, door to the bedroom closed, with a television and couch at the corner opening up to where they are now with the kitchen behind them. He moves to the kitchen, gingerly picking at the cupboards in hopes of finding a cloth that he can use. He eventually hits the target with one on the left, and wrings it with water before folding it into a rectangle. When he comes back to the table, Kanda still hasn't eaten anything.

"Drink the soup, Yuu."

"Fine," the florist grumbles. "Why are you still here?"

"I'll leave," Lavi promises. "If you eat a bit and get some rest. You shouldn't be working at all, what were you thinking?"

"I can't sleep, so what's fucking the point?"

"Because of the headache?"

"What do you fucking think?"

Lavi smiles slightly and moves so that he's standing right behind the other. Gently he gathers Kanda's hair to move it and places the damp towel on the back of Kanda's neck, holding the other firm when the florist flinches.

"What the f—"

"You need to cool down," Lavi tells him, slowly bringing the towel up and down over the other's neck.

It's startlingly worrying when the towel turns warm in less than a minute, and Lavi quickly refolds it and repeats his actions. Kanda leans his head in his palms with his elbows on the table after the first few rounds, silent.

"Yuu, drink a bit of soup," he coaxes, and very slowly, Kanda does lift the cover of the Tupperware and takes a short mouthful.

He lays a hesitant hand over Kanda's nape and when he gets no response, he rubs it gently, searching for the spot that will ease Kanda's headache. Kanda grunts when he does so, taking another sip of the warm soup. Lavi works in silence as Kanda drinks, and eventually the florist leans back after taking down half the Tupperware, clearly disinterested for the rest.

"Better?"

Kanda grunts.

"You think you can sleep now?"

"No."

"Okay. How about watching something?"

"Like what?"

"I don't know," Lavi shrugs. "Do you have any movies?"

"No."

"Well, you have a tv. Move over to the couch—it should be more comfortable."

It takes a bit more of hassling before the florist gets up reluctantly and plants himself on the couch. Lavi suspects that Kanda only accedes because it is much more comfortable on the softer sofa. Lavi quickly disappears to the kitchen to get another rinse for the towel, and this time when he comes back, he presses the cool rectangle cloth onto Kanda's forehead. Kanda tries to push him away but he doesn't relent, and it's obvious that the fever doesn't leave much stamina for Kanda to bother protesting.

"Weren't you leaving?"

" _After_  you rest," Lavi says pointedly. "Just choose a channel. Come on."

The florist scowls and flicks through the channels, eventually settling on one. Lavi glances over and sees that Kanda is pretty unfocused, eyes not as alert as they usually are. The towel heats up fast and he refolds it again.

"Tch. Stop hovering," Kanda mutters and this time Lavi sighs, turning his attention to the screen.

They somehow end up watching some sort of Thai horror movie. Lavi doesn't know if Kanda chose it on purpose or whether it's really the least boring show on cable, but ten minutes in, Lavi is half curled on the couch and fully invested in it.

"She's going to die," Kanda says suddenly when the female on screen steps gingerly into a deserted toilet.

The ominous music plays louder and louder as the girl steps closer to the sinks, curiously staring at the unusual mist on the mirror, and then a blackened blur within it  _shifts_ —and Lavi nearly bites his tongue clean off when something jumps onto his lap. Kanda glances over seemingly unperturbed; never mind that a disfigured creature is crawling on the ground on television or that Lavi makes the most undignified shriek ever.

It's Kanda's cat that steps over his thighs and walks in a circle before planting itself onto his lap, and Lavi leans his head back, still recovering from the shock. He absentmindedly scratches the back of the cat's ear as he flickers his gaze back on screen. More than an hour later he's suffered four more heart attacks and the knowledge that he won't be able to sleep tonight when the credits roll. He yawns loosely, vaguely wondering what time it is.

"Yuu, pass me the remote if—" he starts, but when he glances over, he sees that Kanda has his eyes closed and head leaning sideways. "Yuu?" he prods gently, but there is no answer except for the light breathing.

Well. But it's about time that Kanda got some rest, though he has no idea how anybody can fall sleep during that movie. Lavi looks around for a few moments, wondering what he should do. Wake Kanda up? But he didn't want to disturb the other, not when he's in such a deep sleep. Awkwardly, he grabs the cat off his lap who squirms and puts it on the couch before he goes to rinse the towel that Kanda refused to put on earlier. When he comes back he debates slightly before kneeling on the floor, holding Kanda by the shoulders and slowly guiding the other to lie down fully.

Kanda is much heavier than he thought, but eventually he succeeds, though Kanda's hair falls in a curtain in front of the other's face. He shifts Kanda as much as he can without waking the other, adjusting the position and brushing his hair back from his face. Finally he leaves the cool towel on Kanda's forehead, pressing it down with his palm as he gazes silently at the other.

While asleep Kanda's face is free from any sort of expression. He has never gotten the opportunity to stare at the other so up close—the structured features, the flawless skin, the long eyelashes, the full lips.

Lavi's chest clenches. God, he's so  _beautiful_.

He leans forward close enough that he can feel Kanda's gentle outbreaths. His gaze flickers to the slightly parted mouth and before he knows it he's pressed their lips together, sensation soft. His hand curls as he closes his eye and presses their mouth together closer, so close that at the tip of his tongue he can taste Kanda. It's warm. And so soft.

Something brushes against his knee and he jerks back immediately, eye wide. He breathes out slowly when he realises that Kanda's cat is rubbing its face against his lap. And then he freezes.

He licks his lips once, and then darts a quick glance towards Kanda, who is still sleeping soundly. He just—he just—…he licks his lips again, and stares his gaze away forcefully. Fuck, he just  _kissed_  Kanda, he can't stay because he just wants to do it again,  _this is fucking ridiculous_ , he panics, trying to pull himself to his feet so fast that he stumbles and nearly crashes into the television behind him.

Oh shit, oh shit—he needs to  _leave_ , right now.

Kanda's cat mewls when he hurries to front door and yanks his shoes on, and then remembers that his jacket is on the chair at the dining table and kicks them off to run in and get his coat. Kanda's cat sits and watches him fumble with his shoes again, and mewls louder when he finally gets them on.

Lavi pauses mid reach to the knob of the front door to bend down and rub the cat's head for a final time.

"Don't tell Yuu, okay?" he smiles weakly, and hightails out of the apartment.

* * *

When the counter bell rings, Lavi is pleasantly surprised. Both his and Tyki's scheduled appointments aren't at this particular time, so it must be a walk in client, or at least a potential client. It's not often but it has happened a couple of times before, usually the said curious customer with flowers bought from next door in hand. Fuck, no, Lavi isn't supposed to think about the florist shop, the somehow incredibly successful store with the incredibly attractive owner whom he just—

"Yuu," he freezes when he sees who exactly is at the counter. "…Hi. A-are you feeling better?"

It's the first time that Kanda has ever stepped into his shop and under normal circumstances he would be delighted, but today he's on the edge of a full scale panic attack. Did Kanda know what happened? Is he going to die?

A box is set onto the counter.

"I don't owe you anything," Kanda says bluntly before turning on his heel, disappearing through the doors.

Lavi stares, unable to comprehend the mere seconds that just passed by. Tyki walks over curiously, and takes the box when it seemed like the redhead has lost the ability to move.

"It's a lunch box," Tyki observes before prying the lid open. "Wow."

A succulent scent of chicken and sweet sauce plus steamed rice wafts throughout the store. There is also a side dish of carrots and greens and pickled plums at the side, and Lavi numbly takes the box when Tyki hands it to him.

When silence reigns for the next minute, the older tattoo artist peers at him. "There's tissue if you're going to start crying," he states.

"…I can't eat this," Lavi whispers, lowering his head.

Tyki pauses at the tone. "Hey, what happened yesterday?" he narrows his eyes, serious.

"N-nothing," Lavi mumbles, fumbling with the lunch box to close it.

Tyki rips the box from his hands and stares him down. "Spit it out. What happened?"

"Nothing!"

"What did you do to your boyfriend?"

Lavi lifts his head, eye wide. "H-he's not my—" he stammers. "I—…fuck," he swears, looking away at the raised eyebrow he receives in turn.

Tyki only smirks. "Your face is red as hell, Bookman."

Lavi scowls, refusing to meet the other's eyes. "…I'm a horrible person," he says instead.

"We know that," Tyki nods.

"No, I didn't mean it like—….you don't—you don't get it!" he nearly shouts, clearly frustrated, "I—I-I…I—I kissed him! I  _kissed_  him, Mikk, and he was  _asleep_  and he was  _sick_  and I took  _advantage_  of him, fuck, I'm the fucking  _worst_ , I—fuck."

Lavi buries his face into his hands. How could he face Kanda ever again, god, he's worst, the absolute worst—

"Hey, update. Bookman just kissed Kanda."

Lavi stills, dropping his hands slowly as he looks up. Tyki glances ever so slightly at him as the other hums into his cell phone.

"That's twenty quid, Walker. No, you didn't say—…nah, apparently he was asleep…Yeah," he cocks his head slightly, lifting the phone from his ear for a bit. "Walker says that was probably his first kiss."

"….First…"

"You broke him," Tyki grins, still speaking into his phone. "…Oh please, as if you didn't tell me that to not tell him."

"…kiss…?"

"Anyway, I have to do some damage control. Till next time,  _meu amigo_."

Tyki clicks his phone shut and turns around when he realises that Lavi had started to pace around the shop, ranting to himself.

"Fuck. Fucking shit. I'm going to hell for this, fuck," the redhead mutters, hands gesturing wildly in the air. "What the fuck was I thinking? Fuck, fuck, fuck—"

"Bookman—"

"Mikk," Lavi pauses on his heel, fists clenched tight. "I'm fucked."

"Really?" Tyki raises his eyebrows. "I would say you're not getting any closer to that if you insist on moving at your snail pace."

"I mean—you know what I mean," Lavi huffs, biting on his lip. "I…I think I'm in love with Yuu."

"...You just realised that?"

Lavi grinds his teeth together. "I—it's not just a  _crush_ anymore! When we went to eat soba I wanted to take him home, when I went to his house, I….I wanted…" he swallows, distressed. "I—I just can't stop thinking about him it's driving me fucking  _insane_! Fuck, I…I  _want_  him so much and I don't know what to do anymore or what the fuck am I doing, I—"

"Tell him that you like him, maybe?"

Lavi sends Tyki one of the most upset looks ever. "Are you fucking crazy?"

"How is that crazy?" Tyki demands, incredulous. "It's a perfectly logical mode of action."

"Yuu will  _hate_  me! I can't—fuck, I can't—"

"I can't believe you're twenty five," Tyki sighs, whacking Lavi on the back of the head. "Calm down. Here, eat this," he digs into his pocket and pulls out an orange drop that he stuffs into the other's mouth. "Good. Now go sit down, suck it slowly and think about what I said. I've got a client in ten minutes, I need to get ready."

Lavi sits sullenly at his desk, and sucks at the sweet.

* * *

Lavi does think about it, but his answer stays the same. How could he ever confess when he knows his feelings aren't reciprocated? I mean, he isn't even sure if he can call Kanda a  _friend_ , he's definitely been in the role of a  _customer_  more than anything, and it doesn't look like it's changing no matter how many times he goes over to buy flowers. And that…is exactly the problem. He still doesn't know if Kanda likes the male gender or at least could be convinced to like the male gender. So far he only knows that Kanda interacts very little with other people and he should be glad that he's actually in that circle, but, it's still not the same as where he wishes he could be.

That's why even though winter has bled into February and its Valentine's day and he's killing himself on the inside for intending to go to the florist to get some flowers that will unfortunately not be given to the one what he wants to but will be sitting in his room, he still musters his will and pushes the door open ignoring the closed sign as he has done many times now. He has to see Kanda at least  _once_  on this day.

"Hi, Yuu—" he starts, but stops immediately when the person he's looking for isn't in the store.

Instead, it's a younger Chinese girl, incredibly pretty and fashionable who sits on a stool at the counter.

"Oh?" she tilts her head curiously when he steps in. "Sorry, the shop is closed."

"No, uh…" Lavi tucks his hands into his pockets. "I'm looking for Yuu."

"Yuu," she repeats slowly, expression odd. "Well, Kanda's in the back with some orders," she smiles. "Busy day. Can I help you, or do you want me to get him?"

"Um, no, if he's busy, it's okay," Lavi says, attempting to smile. "I'll…I'll look for him another time."

"He can definitely do whatever he needs to do later," the Chinese girls shakes her head. "Kanda! Come here! There's someone here to see you!" she calls before Lavi can protest.

There is some cursing that gets louder until Kanda walks out from the door at the back of the counter. "Who the fuck—oh, you. If you're looking for roses I don't have any more for today."

"Huh? Oh. Uh, I don't need roses, any…any flower will do, I think."

"I won't make a bouquet just because you need one now either. Collect it tomorrow."

"I—no, I—" Lavi scrambles for what to say, because no, he  _doesn't_  need a valentine's bouquet but the fact is he's here under the pretense that he  _does_.

The Chinese girl glances between them with a smile before she skips off the stool. "Don't be mean, help your friend out," she chides. "Anyway, it's been a long day, so I'll head on first, Kanda."

"Lenalee," Kanda states when the girl takes barely three steps. "You forgot that."

Kanda cocks his head to a single red rose that's wrapped delicately lying on the counter, and the girl turns to take it.

"Oh, shoot. Thanks for keeping it for me," she smiles, kissing Kanda on the cheek. "I'll see you soon, bye!"

The girl also smiles and nods at Lavi before she disappears through the front door.

"So are you buying anything or not?" Kanda turns to him flatly when they get left alone.

"I…yeah."

* * *

When Spring arrives, Allen calls him to book another appointment for another tattoo. It's probably another arrow to his shoulder to complete the circular arrangement the other has. It's an easy and elegant design, not that he's complaining, because he's getting paid. Keeping up his flower hoarding is such an expensive and depressive hobby, but he can't help but enter the shop at least once a week, because he misses Kanda too much if he doesn't. Expensive because he's been bringing food from home since he can't afford to eat out in case he can't cover his share of rent, and depressive because Kanda has a  _girlfriend_  and he has absolutely no chance.

"Bookman, stop zoning out. Walker's here," Tyki nudges him and he pulls himself out of his chair.

Allen is smiling in excitement when he goes to fetch the other—and he pauses when he sees a familiar looking girl standing beside the other looking just as excited.

"Lavi, hey."

"Hey," he greets, warily looking at the girl. "And you are…?"

"Lenalee," the girl grins holding out her hand and Lavi takes it, though half reluctantly. "I'm not Kanda's girlfriend. I just wanted to clarify that if I gave the wrong impression the last time. I helped him out for the day and the rose was for my brother."

Lavi's hold freezes and the girls laughs. "I...I—" he splutters, clearly not prepared for the line.

"So  _that's_  why you've been so depressing lately," Tyki hums from behind him.

"Shut up, Mikk."

"I'm here today for moral support," she winks, patting Allen on the shoulder. "Actually, I just wanted to see how getting a tattoo would be like."

"Your brother will never let you get one," Allen interjects, amused.

"That's why I'm living vicariously through you, Al."

"And you know Allen because…"

"We grew up together," Allen nods. "With Kanda. Lenalee can tell you more, but let's start?"

"Oh, yeah, definitely."

Once Allen is down comfortably on the stretched out chair, the younger gives a thumbs up to the girl who sits herself on the chair a little distance away, watching with rapt attention. Lavi smiles at the fascinated concentrated look on Lenalee's face when he starts his work, quickly falling into the practised ease of inking the patterns he's traced onto Allen's skin. The girl is surprisingly easy to talk to—she asks questions about every bit of his job, where did he learn the trade, what tools are he using, what is his trademarked style. He's nearly a quarter more to a finished job when she speaks suddenly.

"Kanda talks about you, you know."

It takes a while before Lavi realises that the topic has changed. "He does?"

"In his own way," Lenalee nods, thoughtful. "After I saw you I realised who he meant when he talks about a 'rabbit'. Typical Kanda, he doesn't call anyone by name."

"Except for you," Allen grumbles.

"He knows it's not worth the risk," Lenalee smiles sweetly. "But Lavi, you call Kanda by his first name."

"Is that weird?" Lavi asks, glancing at the girl. "We're not in Japan, we don't really use surnames around here."

"You do with Mr Tyki."

"That's because  _he_  calls me by my surname and it's  _weird_."

"It's a habit," Tyki shrugs.

"Well for Kanda," Lenalee muses. "No one calls him by his first name, except his foster father. He doesn't like it, but he lets you use it," she says. "You're special, don't you think?"

Lavi reddens dark enough that he has to pause in case he cuts Allen accidentally. "I-I—I well, he didn't like it in the beginning but I guess he gave up…"

"You  _really_  do like him," she observes, grinning wider.

"I—…maybe."

" _Maybe_?" Tyki echoes, tone clearly incredulous, and Lavi hushes him before a rant can start.

"Mikk, don't you dare."

"It's a good thing," Lenalee says, smiling. "We're cheering you on, Lavi. Allen and I."

"…Thanks, guys."

* * *

Spring leads into Summer, and Lavi swivels in his chair, rubbing the petals of a daffodil from a bouquet he just bought. The flowers are so pretty, just like the florist he bought them from, and he sighs dejectedly.

"Are you  _ever_  going to tell him?" Tyki raises an eyebrow, arms crossed from his side of the room.

Lavi scowls and swivels in his chair again, because it's been the nth time that the other has been badgering him about this. Sometimes he thinks about it, but  _sometimes_  when he thinks that he should, the words get stuck. He can rehearse the scene a million times in his head—him, at the florist stuttering to make his point and  _failing_  and if it all ends up in a 'no' and he doesn't know what to do with the rest of his  _life_.

"You know what," Tyki begins, serious. "Because you never will, I'm going over to tell him."

"Mikk."

"I'm not kidding. It was funny in the beginning but now it's just pathetic. Why are you making yourself so miserable?"

Lavi sighs. "Look, leave me alone about this. Why do you care so much?"

"I need a change in the scenery at the workplace," Tyki responds, deadpan. "It's been a dick year, Bookman. A year and you're still pining after our neighbour the same way for a damn  _year_. I can't even  _believe_  you."

Lavi frowns, messing with the back of his head. "I told you already. I don't want to screw us up, okay? With this I can see him every week, or more—"

"That's the thing, you  _see_  him and that's  _all_  you do. Are you really satisfied with him as your jacking off material? Don't you want the real thing at  _some_  point?"

"Mikk!"

"Was any lie in that?" Tyki challenges.

Lavi sours and keeps silent.

"If you don't tell him," the other threatens. "I'll tell him and then I'll  _also_  tell him about the time you kissed him when he was asleep."

"Fuck you, Mikk," Lavi hisses, clenching his fist. "I know you think this is funny and it's all a fucking game show to you but it's  _not_ , okay? I'm in love with him so bad that it fucking  _hurts_  when I look at him, so just—just stay out of my fucking business—"

"I'll admit this is amusing to me," Tyki interrupts. "But no, I won't stay out of it."

"Fuck you, Mikk,  _fuck you_ —"

"Because," he glares, tone hardening. "As your  _friend_ , you're making the stupidest mistake of your life and it's annoying. Why did the hell did we even settle in this place, hmm? Was it not because of him?"

Lavi clenches his jaw. "The location—"

"Nice location, sure, but we didn't need this fancy," Tyki ploughs on bluntly. "The space? We could've gotten the same space for half the price up in Camden. This isn't a scene for a tattoo parlour and you fucking know it, Bookman. If I insisted on settling elsewhere, you would've came back to the florist, you  _know_  you would've," he says evenly. "I dare you, Bookman, I dare you. Look at me and tell me the truth;  _are we not staying here because of him?"_

* * *

Tyki literally kicks him into the florist shop, which is why he stumbles and fumbles to catch himself before he trips flat onto the floor. When he straightens up, the door behind him is closed with no tattoo artist in sight. Lavi glances to the counter and freezes up internally; Kanda is looking at him with an odd expression, but that's probably because he's actually in the shop during the working hours, instead of after closing time.

"Hi."

Kanda nods in acknowledgement, but doesn't offer anything more as the other turns to busy himself with other things. Lavi walks in hesitantly, casting his gaze to the flowers all around, biding his time as much as he can. He must've bidded  _too_  much time, because Kanda turns to him with a flat stare.

"What are you looking for?"

"Uh. Um. I…" Lavi begins, hands too jittery to keep still. "If…if I-I wanted to confess to someone, what kind of flowers should I go for?"

He doesn't know if he's flushed or not but he's feeling extremely warm at the moment, and his heart feels like he's going to die. But in contrast to his internal panic, Kanda points blandly the row of roses on their left.

"Right," he coughs. "The receiving person can't mistake it for anything else right?"

It's probably a hypothetical question, because Kanda raises an eyebrow. "How many do you want?"

"Um. How many should I give?"

"What do you want to say?"

"What do you mean?"

"Different numbers of roses mean different things," the florist explains impatiently. "What do you want to say with this?"

"…I l-love you?" Lavi stutters, voice almost breaking into a whisper.

Fuck, this is worst. He bites his lips and watches Kanda pick three blood red roses, hands skilfully evading the thorns on the stem. Kanda pauses and zeros in to some other smaller greens at the corner and arranges them together carefully into a bundle. Lavi stares at the moving hands until Kanda speaks.

"Eight pounds."

Lavi digs into his back pocket for his wallet but goes cold when he realises that his wallet is back in his shop on his table.

"Sorry, I think I left my wallet next door," he says, but he doesn't want to leave the florist, because if he does, he doesn't think he can do this again.

He stands at the counter unsure of how to proceed, until Kanda squints at him.

"Why are you still here?"

Lavi bites his bottom lip, hard. "You're not even going to ask who I'm giving it to?"

Kanda frowns. "The same person you've always been giving them to?"

"Huh?" Lavi blinks rapidly. "What same person?"

"Hell if I know. You always buy flowers for someone."

Someone? "Wait, you think that I've been buying flowers for  _someone_?" Lavi repeats, incredulous.

"Then why the fuck would you buy flowers every week?" Kanda demands.

"Because it's the only way that I can see  _you_!"

Perhaps his declaration was a bit too loud, because the resounding silence after crawls underneath his skin.

"Y-yuu," he takes a deep breath, attempting to look at Kanda firmly despite the shaky voice. "This. This is you," he blanches. " _For_  you. This is for you."

Kanda stares. "…This is not funny."

"It's not a joke," Lavi replies, hands trembling tight around each other. "I. I…I-I really like you."

"…"

"Ever since I saw you I wanted to tattoo you so bad—I mean, fuck, ignore that. I. I," he sighs, frustrated. "I like knowing you, Yuu. The more I got to know you the crazier I got about you, and when you were sick I wanted to take care of you forever and the first time I saw Lenalee I was so fucking jealous I couldn't sleep for a whole week and, and I've been buying flowers from you for a year because I just  _needed_  an excuse to see you and…and fuck, it sounds so fucking creepy now but Yuu can you  _please_  say something so that I'll stop blabbering like an idiot?"

"…Like what?"

Lavi swallows. "Like how…how do you feel about me?"

"You're annoying," Kanda says immediately, and spies the look on Lavi's face. It looks like the redhead might actually cry, so he hastily adds on. "But you're…okay," he sighs, reluctantly. "I guess."

"If…if I asked you out, w-will you go out with me?" Lavi hedges cautiously. "I'm really serious about you.  _Really_  serious. And if you need time to think about it, I—"

"Fine."

The muttered answer stuns Lavi enough that he falls completely silent, until they are just both staring at each other in silence.

"What?"

"N-n-nothing! I'm just…I…" he covers his mouth, face burning red. "I really want to kiss you now," he blurts out.

"Stupid rabbit," Kanda rolls his eyes, but Lavi catches the faint blush on the other's cheeks as the other turns his face away. "You're still paying me for the flowers."

* * *

**_Fin._ **

* * *

**_Bonus:_ **

"You're so beautiful, Yuu," he murmurs. "Have I ever told you that?"

"All the damn time," Kanda scowls, but the red in his ears betray the sentiment. "Let go—I can't breathe."

Lavi chuckles but he does loosen his hold around the other, nuzzling his face into the back of Kanda's neck. It's been a year since they've been together, awkward dating phase long past—he spends quite many nights over at Kanda's apartment now (because it's so much closer to their workplace than his own) with the place practically filled with most of his books and DVDs since Kanda doesn't own any. Lavi breathes in the skin of Kanda's shoulder and takes the time to kiss his way slowly to the nape where a lotus bud is tattooed, licking and pressing mouth opened kisses down the other's spine, following the stems.

Against Kanda's skin, the lotus tattoo that he's inked a few months ago is pure perfection. He doesn't think he's ever done a more beautiful piece, not with the careful shades he chose nor with the entwining pattern following the bumps of Kanda's spine. He inks them in all of Kanda's sensitive spots, such that when he reaches half way down, Kanda's back muscles are already tensing up and shivering slightly. He smiles against Kanda's skin and kisses his way back up, gently sucking at the other's shoulder, coaxing the other to turn around.

Kanda does so, but he yawns sleepily with his eyes still closed and covers Lavi's mouth when the other attempts to kiss him.

"Brush your teeth first."

Lavi pouts. "Yuu," he grumbles, and aims for Kanda's neck instead.

"Tch," Kanda swipes at him, but it's half-hearted since he's able to straddle the other with not much resistance, pressing kisses down the other's collarbone.

When he reaches the centre he looks up, smiling softly at Kanda's sleepy but vaguely annoyed expression.

"You're so beautiful," he can't help but whisper, and meets their mouths fully together.

Kanda's fingers creep into his hair and grips it, pulling him back after a few seconds.

"Stupid rabbit," Kanda says, turning away, but Lavi spies the same faint blush he first sees in the flower shop.

He smiles.


End file.
